Meet Amy Berenson from Compass Coaching
Some insight into what Amy is like . . .
Interview by Discover Marblehead
Tell us about your business. I started Compass Coaching to help adults in career transition. With a Life Coach Certification and 25 years in Human Resources, my goal is to empower professionals to create the work of their dreams. I have three specialties: Young professionals reassessing their job or career, new graduates and retirees. Incredible things happen if you work with a coach to clarify your priorities and take action.
I work with people all over the United States, Canada, and Europe. I find that many wish to have “a coach near me” so many clients are near Boston as well. The first step is to meet with me for a free introductory session – this is a great way to try out the process and there is no pressure. As a coach, I’ve helped clients to:
- Gain more confidence in them selves
- Develop criteria for their job search
- Make decisions about their job (stay or go) and create more fulfillment at work
- Get a much better first job out of school than they expected
- Find fulfillment and purpose in their retirement
- Create a new business
In essence, my clients find a True North in their work. I help them find it and empower them to achieve it.
What made you decide to start your business? On a cold, rainy day in late November, the last employee walked out of the Boston-based tech start-up I was working in. I was then laying off the employees I had helped recruit and hire as HR Director. Things had gone south; little did I realize at the time that it would lead me to my True North.
Fast forward -–I knew I was qualified for many HR positions but not one of them interested me. So I wrote a viscerally honest job description for the perfect job for me.
A few weeks later, a friend asked me three simple questions about my recent job . . .
What energized me? What did I miss the most? What was I most proud of?
I told him I had loved the times I helped employees discover their strengths, craft their successes, and take their best course of action. Turned out, this friend was a life coach (a profession I knew nothing about at the time), and he recommended I look into becoming a coach.
After in-depth research, I chose to become certified with Co-Active Training Institute, one of the most highly respected coach training companies in the world. I discovered what coaching really is: a solution to the kind of uncertainty we all experience in high school, college and beyond–
What is “it” I want to do with my life?
I am inspired to help people find their way and my life has never been the same. I had found my “it.”
Oh, and that job description I’d written? It perfectly described a life coach! Huh! I am grateful everyday I’ve found my calling and feel honored to help others find the same.
What do you love most about Marblehead? Location! Location! Location! I grew up on the Connecticut coast–sailing, swimming and enjoying the ocean. I love the water-oriented vibe, the relaxed attitude and the proximity to Boston. This quaint peninsula loaded with a history of fishing, the harbor and even the nearby train (I can hear the whistle from home) all remind me of my home town, Stonington CT. I love the peace and quiet of the early mornings and evenings and the kind spirit of so many.
What hobbies and interests do you have? I sail as often as possible with my husband and friends, and garden, biking, and walk. Summer is my favorite season, but I do enjoy the beauty and quiet of fresh fallen snow (though a white sand beach in the Caribbean is far superior). A good book, interesting lectures, indoor badminton and meeting new people in and around town are also fun endeavors.
Interviewed by . . .
